Quinones

The Place Clifford Harrison and Anne Quatrano, who preach the Alice Waters gospel, recently opened Quinones (1198 Howell Mill Rd., Westside; 404/365-0410; dinner for two $144), a 36-seat salon below their main restaurant, Bacchanalia. Here, they dream up refined—but not fussy—10-course tasting menus composed of heirloom produce from their farm. New Southern Cooking doesn’t get any tastier.The Scene Moguls who own private jets and romantic couples who can’t decide whether to dote on each other or on their buttercream-frosted tea cakes (cupcakes for grown-ups). Hits We loved every single dish on the prix fixe menu, from the Virginia wild striped bass highlighted with slivers of Meyer lemon to the pheasant galantine with a smear of foie gras mousse and cherry jus.T+L Tip Raid Quatrano’s adjacent shop, Star Provisions, stocked with interesting edibles—grab the Fossier rose biscuits—and whimsical tableware.

Table 1280

The Place Part of the new $124 million Renzo Piano extension to the Woodruff Arts Center, Table 1280 (1280 Peachtree St.; 404/897-1280; lunch for two $45) is a showcase of elegant minimalism: two soaring, light-drenched white rooms with little in the way of embellishment but a pair of striking art installations. Though chef Todd Immel, who trained under the great Gunther Seeger, one of the top toques in the United States, plays it safe here, the setting alone is worth the price of a meal.The Scene By day, cashmere-draped ladies who lunch; culture vultures at dinner, when the menu gets more ambitious and the space resembles a fantastical glowing aquarium.Hits Soulful braised short ribs enlivened with horseradish and salsa verde; an imaginative white-chocolate cake with exotic hints of fennel.

Krogbar

The Place Everything is just right about Krogbar (112 Krog St.; 404/524-1618; dinner for two $40), a pocket-size wine bar from the owners of Rathbun’s next door: the amber lighting and the chic log-cabin feel; the careful sourcing behind the anchovies, salumi, and cheeses; and the infectious enthusiasm of sommelier Jon Allen (he’ll pour you a taste of any of his 50 wines by the glass).The Scene Preppy Inman Park loft owners cozy up under patio heaters while sharing plates of bresaola and Valdeon blue and trading notes on this Rueda versus that Viognier.Hits Lemony roasted artichokes; braised pork with caramelized onions; dainty almond butter, goat cheese, and apple tramezzini.

Rolling Bones

The Place Housed in a converted Art Deco gas station, Rolling Bones (377 Edgewood Ave.; 404/222-2324; lunch for two $25) is a cheery blue and white box of a barbecue joint with a cool retro sign. On the menu: awesome dry-rubbed, pit-smoked, Texas-style ’cue that’s developed a cult following even among Atlantans who insist barbecue should be Southern.The Scene Ravenous nurses from the nearby hospital, politicians, and tourists fresh from a visit to the Martin Luther King Center a few blocks away. Everyone is squeezed behind shiny aluminum tables, devouring mesquite-suffused hunks of animal protein.Hits The succulent brisket, and the chicken—simultaneously grilled and smoked—with moist flesh beneath crackling skin. And a side of mustard greens, please.T+L Tip After lunch, drop by Sweet Auburn Curb Market (209 Edgewood Ave.; 404/659-1665) to admire the display of chitterlings and taste fantastic sweet-potato pie and strawberry cake from Red’s Bakery.

Piebar

The Place Last year, Bob Amick, a local restaurant czar, retooled a nifty mid-century circular bank building into Piebar (2160 Monroe Dr.; 404/ 815-1605; dinner for two $50), a mod pizza restaurant with an atomic-age design (there’s even a drive-through window). The desolate location—above a busy interstate—only adds to the general grooviness. From the vast pizza oven come rectangular pies with cracker-thin crust and toppings such as prosciutto and pastrami.The Scene Twentysomethings flirting furiously over acrylic glasses of zentini and nakatini.Hits Simpler pies such as cherry tomato and mozzarella, or fontina and barbecued rabbit.

Lobby at Twelve

The Place Atlantic Station—a new work-live-play complex touted as the largest brownfield reclamation in the country might seem a prefab vision of Pleasantville, but among its redeeming features is Twelve, a chic all-suites hotel with a throbbing bar and a smart restaurant, Lobby at Twelve (361 17th St.; 404/961-7370; dinner for two $68), with a loft-like look showcasing chef Nick Oltarsh’s confident New American cooking.The Scene Singles who migrate from the bar and two-Lexus couples who are just here for pulled lamb with crème fraîche.Hits Truffled matzoh-ball soup with watercress and shredded chicken; Georgia trout with red cabbage and Smithfield ham.

Chef Shaun Doty, known for his clever riffs at One Midtown Kitchen, now has a home of his own at Shaun’s (1029 Edgewood Ave. NE; 404/577-4358; dinner for two $70) in Inman Park. The updated comfort food menu (shrimp and grits with Berkshire pork and poached egg) is a runaway hit.

Krogbar

Inspired by a trip to Spain, chef Kevin Rathbun personally designed this unique Spanish wine bar that has an excellent wine selection and scrumptious small plates. Located in the Inman Park neighborhood, Krog Bar is a cozy little spot with rustic wooden tables and stained walls inside and a comfortable lounge area outside. Those on their way out to dinner or on their way home often stop by for a glass of wine from lesser-known vineyards in Europe and South America and usually end up trying one of the tantalizing plates of carni (meats) and formaggi (cheeses).

Shaun's

Ecco

With a focus on using seasonal ingredients, chef Micah Willix, who helped create one of the nation’s first health-conscious menus at Seasons 52, keeps his European fare fresh and enticing. In fact, diners rave that the only way to improve dishes like the fried goat cheese with honey and black pepper is to enjoy it alongside one of the carefully chosen wines, which have been handpicked from renowned and boutique vineyards in Europe. This trendy Midtown spot is enhanced by its small, simple and low-lit dining room that caters to smaller groups and intimate dinners.

Lobby at Twelve

Positioned inside TWELVE Hotels & Residences, the restaurant is designed to look and feel like a lobby bistro, but beyond the typical sleek dining rooms is a bar dining area that offers a peek into the beautifully orchestrated chaos of the kitchen. Educated at the Culinary Institute of America, chef Nick Oltarsh allows his special flair for food to flourish in this kitchen, just as much as he did at famed restaurants Eleven Madison Park and Gramercy Tavern. His signature dishes at Lobby include the seared ahi tuna and the wood-oven pizzas.

Piebar

Rolling Bones

Succulent brisket that is melt-in-your-mouth good, moist chicken that nearly falls off the bone and pulled pork that is both juicy and flavorful is what makes Rolling Bones Barbecue a staple in the Edgewood Corridor. Dreaming about good, old-fashioned Texas-style barbecue, chefs Reginald D. Washington and Duane Nutter opened this local favorite in an old gas station, which adds to its throwback appeal. And although the smoked meats and homemade sauces play lead here, sides like mustard greens and the sweet potato with maple butter do quite a good job in their support roles.

Trois

Quinones

The quieter, more intimate sister restaurant to Bacchanalia, which is located in the same Westside complex, Quinones was opened in 2005 by acclaimed restaurateur duo Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison. Designed to resemble a nineteenth-century plantation home, the dining room has only eleven white-clothed tables, surrounded by smoky antique mirrors, hand-blown Venetian glass chandeliers, and dark brown accents. Quinones is only open for dinner on Saturday evenings, and the New American prix fixe menu changes weekly to showcase seasonal ingredients. Highlights may include seared halibut with miniature tomato chips and lemon-buttermilk panna cotta with fresh blueberries.